He married Nancy Ross Sept 3 1803 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia where Nancy had been born in 1788. She died after 1870 and is also buried in the Shelton Cemetery in Webster County, Ky.

Josiah Shelton owned 1500 acres of land on Deer Creek between 1818 and 1848 in Webster County, Kentucky. He was a slave-holder and he is listed in the 1820 Christian County, Kentucky census, and the 1830 Union County, Kentucky census. In 1840 and 1850 Josiah Shelton is listed in the Henderson County, Kentucky census. In 1860 he is listed in the Webster County, Kentucky census.

Josiah Shelton died between 1860 and 1864; his Webster County will was proven on November 21, 1864, and it can be read online.

Josiah Shelton and Nancy Ross had twelve children. This is the line of the infamous Shelton gang:

1. Mary Shelton (1895- )
2. William Josiah Shelton (1807-1860)
3. John S Shelton (1809-1871)
4. Elizabeth Shelton (1811-1850)
5. George B Shelton (1813-1880)
6. Martha Shelton (1824- )
7. Wilson Albert Shelton, (1824-1871), the father of the Shelton gang
8. Sarah Shelton (1826- )
9. Nancy Shelton (1825- )
10. Lucy Ann Shelton (1830- )
11. Hannah Eveline Shelton (1832- )
12. Caroline Shelton (1835- )